Plant-Based and Cultivated Meat MOOC

A free online course exploring the science behind plant-based and cultivated meat

Plant-Based and Cultivated Meat MOOC

Inspired by the overwhelming demand for the world’s first class on plant-based meat, GFI is offering a free online introductory course exploring the science behind plant-based and cultivated meat!

This 6-week self-paced course covers the biological and chemical processes used to produce plant-based meat and cultivated meat, the environmental and economic drivers behind these market sectors, and the dietary roles of proteins.

Plant-Based and cultivated Meat MOOC

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Thank you for signing up to learn more about cultivated and plant-based meat! Within the next three days, you'll be receiving an invitation to join this free, online, self-paced course on Canvas, as well as more information about GFI and our research and educational offerings.

Plant-Based and Cultivated Meat MOOC Syllabus

Week 1: Why do we need plant-based and cultivated meat?
In the first lecture, you’ll learn about the sustainability issues associated with current meat production, the history of plant-based meat, and the current state of the plant-based, fermentation, and cultivated meat industries.

Week 2: What is meat?
In week two, we’ll cover the composition of meat, the protein contents of commonly eaten foods, protein requirements and digestion in humans, as well as current consumer trends in plant-based and traditional meat consumption.

Week 3: What is plant-based meat?
This lecture starts with a review of global meat consumption trends and then dives into the science of plant-based meat production. You’ll learn about ingredient sourcing, protein isolation and functionalization, formulation, and manufacturing methods.

Week 4: What's the dirt on cultivated meat?
Week four starts off with a review of the benefits offered by cultivated meat and then goes deep into the science of cultivated meat production. The lecture covers cell line development, cell culture media, scaffolding, bioreactors, scale up, and key bottlenecks to the advancement of the industry.

Week 5: Investment and funding for plant-based and cultivated meat
In the final lecture, you’ll learn about investments in alternative proteins, the current competitive landscape, white space opportunities, and the pressing need for additional research funding.

For more information, please contact Renee Bell, at reneeb@gfi.org.

This program is made possible thanks to generous donors. Philanthropic support is vital to our mission. To discuss how you can be part of this transformative work with your gift or grant, please contact GFI's development department at philanthropy@gfi.org or 866-849-4457.